Explore the vast range of titles available.

: Transdermal formulations are widely utilized in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields because they enable non-invasive administration and sustained local drug delivery. Conventional ex vivo skin permeation experiments using Franz diffusion cells have limitations in capturing the spatial and temporal dynamics of skin penetration. This study aimed to develop a confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)-based approach to visualize and semi-quantitatively assess the penetration behavior of fluorescent dyes with differing lipophilicities. : Four fluorescent dyes with different Log P values-Rhodamine B (Rho-B), Rhodamine 123 (Rho-123), Fluorescein Sodium (Flu-Na), and Nile Red (NR)-were formulated into lotion-based vehicles and applied to excised human abdominal skin. CLSM imaging was performed from 10 min to 240 min post-application. Fluorescence intensities were extracted from depth-resolved regions (R1-R4, 30-μm intervals) to examine penetration kinetics and distribution. : CLSM imaging demonstrated that Rho-B penetrated through stratum corneum and entered deep into the skin via the hair follicles. Rho-123 and Flu-Na exhibited intercellular and follicular penetration; however, Flu-Na showed only a slight increase in intensity over time; NR showed negligible penetration into the deeper layers. The results of our analysis indicated that moderately lipophilic substances such as Rho-B and Rho-123 diffused deeply into the skin via both transdermal and follicular routes, whereas highly hydrophobic or lipophilic substances remained in the superficial layers. : The CLSM-based approach enabled spatially and temporally resolved, semi-quantitative evaluation of transdermal penetration in a single, non-destructive experiment. Although restricted to fluorescent probes, this approach provides a practical early-stage screening tool for comparing route-specific and time-dependent penetration behaviors of compounds with different lipophilicities.

Surfactants form molecular assemblies in aqueous solutions. The assembly type strongly depends on surfactant concentration as well as temperature, thus various types of assemblies such as micelles, lyotropic liquid crystals, etc. are formed. In a manner similar to such aqueous surfactant systems, surfactants can also form molecular assemblies in room‐temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). In this chapter, we focus on self‐assembly of nonionic surfactants in RTILs stressing on thermodynamics of micellization of nonionic surfactants in RTILs, characterization of binary phase behaviors of nonionic surfactants with RTILs, and adsorption characteristics of nonionic surfactants at solid/RTIL interfaces. A possible future direction of studies concerning RTILs from the standpoint of colloid and interface chemistry is also addressed.

Emotional state is correlated with walking information such as walking speed; monitoring emotional states and walking information is useful for employee health management as a countermeasure against depression. We combined daily subjective mood assessments with daily objective gait data to monitor particularly anxious mood states among 60 healthy employees. To this end, we developed a smartphone app, named KOKORO scale, which allows participants to record their emotional states instantaneously, generating time-series data that can be analyzed to show changes in emotional states over time. We used the KOKORO scale in combination with a daily walking speed app, which measured gait information in daily life settings using a global positioning system. We conducted the test during workdays over a four-week period. The apps were used to obtain the mean walking speed and mean ease–anxiety scores. The correlation between the mean anxiety score and walking speed revealed remarkable regressivity (p ≦ 0.01) between the mean walking speed and the overall mean ease of mind for participants before starting work. The results demonstrated that measuring subjective mood in combination with objective gait information improved mood measurement objectivity. This system has potential for identifying or predicting risk of depressive mood when combined with walking parameter analysis.

Background Endurance exercise training decreases arterial stiffness, whereas high-intensity strength exercise training increases arterial stiffness. However, the mechanisms underlying the different adaptations to these two types of exercise training are unclear. Oxidative stress induces vasocon-striction and endothelial dysfunction. Recently, plasma advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), a new marker of oxidative stress, level has been reported to be positively associated with arterial stiffness in healthy subjects. We hypothesized that AOPP participates in the adaptation of arterial stiffness in different types of exercise training. The purpose of this study was to investigate plasma AOPP concentration and arterial stiffness in strength- and endurance-trained athletes. Methods Young male strength-trained athletes (shot put, hammer, or javelin throwers; n = 12; SA), endurance-trained athletes (long- or middle-distance runners; n = 10; EA), and sedentary control human (n = 12; C) participated in this study. We measured maximal handgrip strength, maximal oxygen uptake, aortic pulse wave velocity (APWV), which is an index of arterial stiffness, and plasma AOPP concentration. Results Maximal handgrip strength was significantly greater in SA compared with C and EA. Maximal oxygen uptake was significantly greater in EA compared with C and SA. APWV was significantly higher in SA compared with C and EA. Plasma AOPP concentration was significantly higher in SA compared with in EA. The relationships of plasma AOPP concentrations to maximal handgrip strength (i.e., muscle strength) and maximal oxygen uptake (i.e., aerobic capacity) were linear (AOPP and muscle strength: r = 0.42, AOPP and aerobic capacity: r = −0.46). Conclusion The present study suggests that oxidative stress may participate in the mechanism underlying different adaptations of arterial stiffness in strength- and endurance-trained athletes. Key words: arterial stiffness; oxidative stress; endurance exercise training; strength exercise training